Leaf-support.



T. HAUSER.

LEAF SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED F334;, 1910.

Patented 0012.4, 1910.

Z SHBETSSHEET 1.

jkeo 6Z0 re 1 2 40662;

T. HAUSER.

LEAF SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. a, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"will I) d nfie 6 [72;z/@n50 075W Z7680 dorefwer Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

liTElil @FFEQE THEDDQBE HAUSER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GABiVY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A C(BBPQRATION OF ILLINDIS.

- LEAF-SUPPGRT- arisen.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct, a, rare Application filed February 8, 1919. Serial It'o. 542,680.

and capable of being cheaply manufactured and which operates in an improved manner.

The present invention, while relating to steel couches or sofa-beds of the type shown my Patents Nos; 767059 and 7894225 granted respectively August 9, 1904 and May '9', 1905, possessesimportant advantages over the structures disclosed in said patents and also" constitutes an improvement upon the structure set forth, in my application No. 538,851 filed on the 19th day of January,

sectional view of an all-metal couch equipped with my improvement, thefull lines showing the swinging leaf of the couch in the horlzontal pos1t1on and the le: t-supporting link in the engaging or locking position; Fig. 2, a similar view showing thev leaf raised somewhat above the horizontal position and the free end of the leaf-supporting link resting upon the longitudinal ill frame-member, which, in my improved construction, serves as a cam upon which the link may ride to effect a positive releasing operation; Fig. 3, a broken horizontal sectional view taken approximately as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. fl, a similar. 1 section illustrating the manner 1n which the ieat supportmg link is flexed to enable its free end to rise above the longitudinal t'rame-niembermentioned when the leaf is swung; above the horizontal position we paratory to efiecting; a release; Fig.1), a sectionsiinilar to Fig. 3, but with the parts in the ppsition corresponding to Fig. 2; Fig. 6,

a similar section showing the leaf dropped to the vertical depending position; 7, a broken sectional view taken as indicated at line '2 of Fig. 1; 8, a broken sectional view. taken at line 8 oat-Fig. 2; and Fig. 9, a

broken inner "iew' illustrating a slight modification, said view showing one of the corner uprights of the main frame, the guide-slot with which it is rovided, and the longitudinal frame-121cm or which serves as a cain.

In a couch or sofabe'd of the general con struction herein shown, the main parts are a stationary frame A supporting a seat and one or more swinging leaves capable of assumingdifi'erent positions. In the drawings 1 have shown one swinging leaf B capable of assuming either a vertical depending position or a horizontal position, depending upon whetherthe structure is employed as a couch or a bed; The present invention relates tothe means for supporting the leaf B in the horizontal position and for efl'ecting automatic release thereof when it is desired to swing the leaf to, the vertical depending position.

The stationary frame, in the illustration given, is of the usual form, generally speaking, and comprises end-standards A (one only shown) and connecting angle-bars A.

(one only shown). Each end-standard A comprises angle-form corner upright-s 1 (one only shown) supported on a base 2, and an angle-form cross-member 3 joining the upper ends of the uprights 1. The top-member 3 has an end i which projects outwardly bcyond the upright l, and the end-member 5 of the leaf is connected with the extension 4 by a pivot (3. The upright 1 has a flange 7 which is turned toward the opposite side of the frame and a flange 8 which is turned toward the opposite end standard of the ,frame. VThe flange 8 is provided abovethe longitudinal frame-member A with a guidesiot 9 Whose lower end afifords a locking shoulder 10. The longitudinal frame memher A is shown connected with the upright 1 by the rivet 11; and braces12 connect the upright 1 with the member A The end of the member it." is located at the inner side of the flange 8 of the upright 1 and is shortened so as to adord a. space 13 between the extremity of said member A and the flange 7 of sai upright 1. o.

The end-member '5 of the leaf B has a fliinge lsvwhich is located in a vertical transverse plane and is connected by the pivot 6 to the down-turnedtlan e of the top crossmember 3'of the main rame. A leaf-supporting link 15 has its outer end joined by a pivot 16 to the flange 14, and said link or:-

inc.

, as a cam extension.

I the link engages flange 19 of the flange 7, upwardly tends through the guide-slot 9 of the upright 1. Said link is provided at its lower edge near its free end with a notch 17 whose outer side-affords a locking shoulder whichco-acts with the locking shoulder at the lower end of the slot 9. lVhen the leaf 'B is in the horizontal position, the notch 17 engages the lower-end of -.e slot 9, while the extremity of the link projects into the space 13 adjacent the end of the longitudinalframemember A The free end-portion of the link 15 is designated 18 and may be regarded It will be observed, by reference to F'g. 1, that when the link 15 is in the locking position, the lower corner of the extension 18 of the link projects slightly below the inturned flange 19 of the longitudinal frame-member,A

The link 15 may comprise a substantially straight rolled steel bar which may readily produced by a press operation, in which operation the notch 17 may be formed. The guide-slot 9 is somewhat wider than the thickness of the link, and is provided at or near its upper end with an inclined surface 20 which normally overhangs the link 15 in the locking position thereof, said inclined surface preferably extending from the outer edge of the slot, that is, the edgemearest the and inwardly toward the free edge of the flange 8, so that the upper end of the slot 9 is contracted to approxlmately the thickness of the bar or link 15.

As stated, whenthe leaf B occupies the horizontal position, the locking shoulder of the stationary locking shoulder of the frame, and the, extension 18 of the link lies adjacent the'endof the A When it is desired to effect a'release, the leaf B is swung upwardly 'to approximately the position 'indlcated bydotte lines in Fig. 1, in which operation the upper edge of the link engages the inclined cam-surface 20 at the upper portion of the slot, and the link is flexed somewhat as indicated in Fig. 4: during the time. that the extension 18 is passing the end edge of the flange 19. When the extension 18 rises above the flange 19, the "link straightens, and the. extension 18 slips or shifts laterally onto the u per surface of the end ortion of the ange 19, whereupon the 12 (rapidly or slowly) to the depending-position, the link-extension 18 riding upon the flange 19v as a cam in this movement, so that the locking notch 17 will be positively carried past the stationary lockin -shoulder 10. After the lockinghotch has 0 ezntegitthe stationary locking-shoulder during the operation of dropping the leaf, the link resumes .its normal position inaa plane adjacent the end edge of the flange 19, as shown at Fig.

6, so that when the leaf is raised again to the horizontal position the leaf-supporting longitudinal frame-member I af B may be lowered link will enterthe space 13 and the locking notch will be free to engage the stationary locking-shoulder. By reason of the disposition and connection of the parts, the tendency of the leaf-supporting link is to resume the position shown in Fig. 6 when the leaf is lowered. If desired, the corner of the flange 19 may be rounded or beveled slightly as indicated at 21, so that as the leaf is owered from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 the link-extension 18 will first ride upon the upper surface of the flange 19 until the locking notch has cleared the stationary locking-shoulder, and the link-extension will then engage the beveled surface 21, which will tend to throw the link positively laterally over into its normal plane parallel with the end of the couclnframe.

In Fig. 9 I have illustrated another expedient for insuring the return of the leafsupp'orting link to the plane adjacent the outer edge of the guide-slot, so that the link-extension 18 will be sure to enter the space 13 when the leaf is again raised to the horizontal posit-ion. According to this modiflcation, I bevel the bottom of the guides slot 9 inwardly and upwardly, as indicated at 22, so that when the leaf is swung from the dotted position shown in Fig.2 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 the link, which rests upon the bottom of the 27 adjacent the outer vertical wall of the guideslot. This expedient is notat all a necessary feature, but may be employed if .desired.

.It will be noted that m 1 improved construction provides for e ecting an automatic release of a. positive character, so that the leaf may be manipulated as slowly uide-slot, will be sure to slip to a position or as rapidly as may be desired, and the releasing operation will be certain in every instance. It Wlll be understood,-of course, that ordinarily the construction is duplicated at each end "of the leaf. Moreover,

ioningthe guide-slot, shorteningthe longi.--

tudina'l frame-member A? and properly disosing the parts with relation to each other.

1'. follows that my construction provides for a material reduction in the cost of production, which in. goods of thisclasS is a very important consideration. Moreover,

*the width of the locking-notch of the link may be as great as desired,jthus providing for complete certainty of the locking operation when the leaf is raised to the bed-forming position. In this respect, the device has marked advantages over the constructions in whichmentum and inertia are depended upe to effect a release, since it is usually necessary in such constructions to careful manipulation inthe locking opera- .rights, longitudinal tion.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only. Hence no undue limitation is to be understood therefrom, but the appended claims are to be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

ll iat l regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a structure of the character set forth the combination of a main frame provided with a link-receiving guide having an inclined surface adapted to shift said link laterally, a leaf pivotally connected with said frame a ivoted link haviin a lockin shoulder, and a connecting frame member located beneath said guide and of a length less than the width of the main frame,

whereby the inner end pf the leaf-support;

ing link is caused to rest between the end of said connecting frame member and the main frame when the leaf'is in the same horizontal plane with said main frame, and to ride upon and be raised by said connecting !l1v3l1 lfl)81"Wl1D the leaf is raised to an abnorinftlly elevated position and the free end of the link caused to be shifted laterally by the inclined surface of the guide, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a frame having an endstandard provided with an angle-form upright with a flange extending toward the opposite end-standard of the structure, said having a guide-slot with an inclined surface extending from the outer side wall of the slot, a longitudinal angle-bar framemember extending from said flange with a space between it and the other flange of said upright, a leaf pivotally connected with said frame, and a leaf-supporting linkpivotally joined to said leaf and provided at its lower edge with a locking-shoulder and adjacent thereto with an end-extension which nor-' mally projects into said space and lies adacent the end-edge of said longitudinal of the structure and onto said longitudinal frame-member when the leaf is swung to an abnormally high position, thereby to effect a positive release when the leaf is dropped.

3. In a structure'of the character set forth, the 'mhination of a inain-frame comprisingl d-standards of angle-bar construction, saida 'raid-standards having angle-form upframe members of angle-bar form connecting said uprights and having inturned flanges, spaces being left between the ends of said flanges and the flanges of said uprights wiich are parallel with the ends of the structure, a leaf pivotally connected with said main frame,

guide-slots in the flanges of said uprights, said guide-slots having inclined portions at the upper ends of their outer walls, and

links pivotally connected with said leaf and extending through said guide-slots, said links having notches at their lower edges and end-extensions which normally lie in said spaces adjacent the ends of the mturned flange of said longitudinal frame-member when the leaf is in the locked position, whereby said end-extensions will be shifted laterally onto the longitudinal frame-memher when the leaf is raised to an abnormally high position and will ride upon said framemember to carry the locking-notches clear of the guide-slots when the leaf is lowered to the Vertical depending position.

4. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a frame provided with a guide-slot having an inclined cam-surface at the upper portion of one side wall, a leaf pivotally connected with said frame, a link pivotally connected with said leaf and provided with a locking-notch and an end-extension, a cam carried by the frame and projecting inwardly from the. side thereof and located normally adjacent one side of said end-extension when the leaf is locked in the horizontal position, whereby said endextension will be shifted onto said lastnamed cam when the leaf is raised to an abnormally -high position, and means for uiding the free end of the link, after the ocking-shoulder has cleared the locking position in the descent of the leaf, to the plane which said link normally occupies in its locked position.

5. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of an end-standard having a corner upright with an end flange and a side flange, said side flange provided with a guide-slot having at its upper portion an inclined surface extending away from the wall of the slot which is adjacent said end-flange, a leaf pivotally connected with said endstandard, a link pivotally connected with said leaf and providedwith a locking-notch adapted to engage the lower end of the guide-slot and having an end-extension, and a longitudinal frame member connected with said upright and having an inturned flange with its end edge separated from the end flange of said upright by a space normally occupied by said link-end-cxtension when the leaf is locked in the horizontal position,

' said inturned flange having a beveled corner adapted to guide the free end of the link back to the plane which it normally occupies in the locking position.

6. In a structure of the character set forth, the combinatiorfiif lT frame provided with a guide-slot and a cam-surface at the upper portion thereof, a leaf pivotally connected with said frame, a link pivotally connected with said leaf and extending through said guide-slot, said link having a locking-shoulsaid last-named cam and ride thereon in the defi at its IOWGlil edge a? an GIlLGXtGHSiOIg operation of lowering the leaf.

an a cam Wit in the ame a 'acent sai 4 I end-extension and in such relat on thereto THEODORE that the link will be flexed when the leaf In presence of is swung above the normal locking position J G. ANDERSON,

and said end-extension will spring over onto R. O. SCHAEFER. 

